Consumer Finance

The billion dollar reason YOUR catalytic converter was stolen: How underground crime rings steal 600,000 converters a year, recycle them and sell them BACK to metal refineries

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Motorists are thought to lose around 600,000 catalytic converters to thieves each year. But have they ever wondered just where the devices end up?  For years, mystery has shrouded widespread theft of the car parts – which are designed to reduce the amount of harmful pollutants a vehicle emits and made from precious metals such … Read more

Has the bubble burst for America’s Realtors? Commission rates could be slashed by a THIRD after landmark lawsuit – and experts fear 80% of real estate license holders could quit

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America’s real estate industry is undergoing a radical transformation that could change how we buy and sell homes forever. A jury in Missouri last month found the National Association of Realtors (NAR) had artificially raised commissions by enabling brokers to collude. That verdict could set a national precedent – and experts estimate it may slash Realtors’ … Read more

How prepared are YOU for retirement? Goldman Sachs says savers need just four ‘optimal’ traits to secure a comfortable nest egg – but only 10% of Americans possess all of them

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Just one in ten Americans has the ‘optimal’ characteristics to build a good retirement nest egg, a new study has shown. Goldman Sachs Asset Management surveyed 5,261 US workers and retirees to find the financial behaviors most likely to set people up for comfort in their twilight years. Researchers identified four key traits in those … Read more

Moody’s slashes US financial outlook from stable to NEGATIVE amid concerns America’s ‘fiscal debts will remain very large’ – but nation will KEEP its AAA rating for now

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Moody’s has slashed its outlook on US government from stable to negative However the US will retain its AAA credit rating, the agency confirmed tonight By Helena Kelly Assistant Consumer Editor For Dailymail.Com and Neirin Gray Desai Consumer Reporter Updated: 17:07 GMT, 11 November 2023 Ratings agency Moody’s Investors Service has slashed its outlook on … Read more

What you should be investing in as interest rates appear to peak

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By Tilly Armstrong Assistant Consumer Editor For Dailymail.Com Updated: 20:00 GMT, 7 November 2023 Interest rates may have reached their peak in the US, according to experts, which means investors may be thinking about how this could impact their portfolio – and how they can take advantage.  The Federal Reserve announced at its latest meeting … Read more

New York City pension fund managers raked in $1.7 BILLION in fees last year – growing at a faster rate than the pension assets

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New York City’s five pension funds had a combined total value of $253.3B The 321 pension fund managers made around $1.7B in fiscal year 2023 That is an increase of around 10 percent on the year before – or around $150M  By Neirin Gray Desai Consumer Reporter For Dailymail.Com Updated: 19:46 GMT, 31 October 2023 … Read more

Are YOU richer than your neighbors? Fascinating study shows the amount needed to be in the top 5% of each state

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What it takes to be in the top 5 percent of earners in each state varies hugely across the US, a landmark new report lays bare.   Connecticut requires the highest income of any state to make the top 5 percent, according to a study by GOBankingRates.  Residents will need to earn a pre-tax household income of … Read more

Would you ask your wedding guests for a HOME? Two in ten couples now request help with downpayments from their guests – making it the second most popular wedding registry item after a honeymoon!

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Number of couples asking for downpayment help has shot up 55% since 2018 Home funds are now the second most popular wedding registry item listed READ MORE: The rise of the ‘NEPO’ homeowner! Four in ten under-30s rely on family money to cover their down payment on a property By Helena Kelly Assistant Consumer Editor For … Read more

Is YOUR home overvalued or undervalued? Fascinating study reveals the states where buyers are paying too much (or too little!) for properties

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1. Maryland: -9.17% Median home price: $410,000  2. California: -1.81% Median home price: $789,000 3. New York: -1.65% Median home price: $491,500 4. Illinois: -0.78% Median home price: $272,600 5. Alaska: 2.37% Median home price: $362,000 6. West Virginia: 3.79% Median home price: $284,100 7. Pennsylvania: 4.74% Median home price: $275,800 8. Delaware: 5.26% Median home price: $342,600 9. Mississippi: 6.54% Median home price: $258,200 10. Connecticut: 6.92% Median home price: $388,200 11. Washington, DC: 7.26% … Read more

Renovating your property? The home improvement projects that will give you the highest return on your investment revealed (and the number one change might surprise you)

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Americans can recoup almost all the money spent on particular home changes Building a deck and replacing windows deliver a high return on the investment Remodeling a bathroom will cost the average American almost $12,000 By Tilly Armstrong Consumer Reporter For Dailymail.Com Updated: 16:29 BST, 17 October 2023 Home sales are expected to plunge to … Read more

Mortgage rates hit 7.5% for the first time since 2000 as house sales tumble to multi-decade low

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Mortgage rates hit 7.5% for the first time since 2000 as house sales tumble to multi-decade low 30-year mortgage rates increased throughout September ending at 7.53 percent Rates will likely remain high as the Fed indicated interest rates will rise again Home sellers are slashing prices as sales were at their lowest levels since 1995  By … Read more

America’s red-hot labor market FINALLY starts to cool: Private firms added 89,000 jobs in September -the slowest pace of growth since 2021

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America’s red-hot labor market FINALLY starts to cool: Private firms added 89,000 jobs in September -the slowest pace of growth since 2021  Private employers added just 89,000 jobs in September, new report shows Figures fall well below economist’s predictions of 160,000 Red-hot labor market has been repeatedly blamed for keeping inflation high  By Helena Kelly … Read more

Here are the most frequently drawn Powerball numbers

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Revealed: The ‘luckiest’ Powerball numbers in the last 8 years – as jackpot soars to $850 million By Neirin Gray Desai Consumer Reporter For Dailymail.Com Updated: 22:02 BST, 27 September 2023 An estimated $850 million Powerball jackpot will be up for grabs on Wednesday night – the world’s ninth-largest lottery prize of all time. Although no … Read more